Automatic-crossing signal.



I. W. ABNEY. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION'FILED SEPT. I4. |916.

rms ca.. mwmuma. wAsmNcroN n. r:A

I. W. ABNEY.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I4| ISIS.

f M. QIMIW Q m. w

5mm@ C WA hay o@ 1 9. 12 Om 2W No www MH-%\ mm t n e M D..

mwfx

l. W. ABNEY.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL.

Pa'tented Aug. 20, 1918.

3 SHEES-SHEEI' 3 APPLICATIN FILED SEPT14| l916.

un: Noums purs/As m.. Fuommrum wnsummun. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. ABNEY, OIE MANY, LOUISIANA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application led September 14, 1916.

To aZZ whom z'zf may concern:

Bc it known that I, JAMES lV. ABNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Many, in the county of Sabine, State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railway-Crossing Signals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to railway crossing signals and has special reference to an electrically operated signal of the class described.

One important object of the invention is to provide asimple and improved form of crossing signal which may be used to protect a crossing without regard to any other block signal system that either of the crossing roads may be provided with, the signal of this invention being substantially local in character.

A second important object of the invention is the provision oi a crossing signal of improved construction and so arranged that no matter in what direction a train may approach the crossing on either track, suitable signals may be displayed on the other track at points remote from the crossing and at other points still more remote from said crossing, thus providing home and distance signals.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of certain novel arrangements oi' blocks, circuits, relays, and signal controlling devices, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a pair of crossing tracks showing the device used in connection therewith, the signals being only used beside one track while the actuating relays and the like are used beside the other track so as to avoid duplication and confusion, the view showing the positions of the parts when the signals are all at clear.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the positions of the parts when a train enters one of the outer track blocks controlling the signals.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. l and showing the parts in the position assumed Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Serial No. 120,102.

when the train lies in an outer controlling block on its way from the crossing.

In the construction herein disclosed there is provided a crossing 10 from. whence eX- tends a series oi' tracks indicated respectively by the letters N, E, S, and lV, it being assumed for the convenience of description that the tracks extend from the crossing in the directions of the cardinal points of the compass. In the present showing the tracks lV and E are disclosed as divided into a series of blocks of which blocks A and B lie on one side of the crossing 10 while blocks @and I) lie on the opposite side of said crossing', the blocks in their alphabetical rotation thus running from west to east. Each of these blocks is provided with similar equipment and the equipment of one block will be distinguished from the other block in describing circuits by the use of small letters corresponding to the capitals indicating the block. At the end of the blocks remote from the crossing 10 there are provided batteries 11L and 11d which are connectedby wires l2a and 13@l and 12d and 13d to respective rails 14 of the block, the rails being insulated at their ends 'from the rails of adjacentv blocks as by insulation l5. Leading from the end of the blocks opposite the ends to which the wires 12a and 13a and 121 and 13d are connected are other wires 16a and 17at and 16d and 171 connected to relay magnets 1Sa and 18d which control armatures 19a and 19d. Leading from each of the distant armatures 19a and 19d to the contacts 2Ob and 2Oc are wires 21a and 21d, the contacts 2()b and 20C lying in the path of armatures 191D and 19c controlled by magnets 18D and 18 connected by wires 16b and 171 and 16c and 17c respectively to the rails of the blocks B and C to the west and east of the crossing. Batteries 11b and 11C are also connected by wires 12b and 13" and 12e and 13c with the block rails. The armatures 19b and 19c are connected by means of wires 22 and 23 respectively to a line battery 24 and to a contact 25 which is in the path of the armature 19a. Signal controlling magnets are interposed in the wire 23 as at 26, these magnets being spaced along the track N to control home and distant signals. From the battery 24 leads a wire 27 which, after passing through signal controlling magnets 28 leads to a contact 29 in the path ot' the armature 19d.

New under normal conditions, it will be seen that the relay magnets 18, 181, 18c and 181 are energized by their respective batteries so that the armatures 19 and 19d are dra-wn against the respective contacts 25 and 29 and at the same time the armatures 191 and 19c are drawn against the contacts 201 and 201. By reason of this a circuit is established 'from the battery 24 through the wire 22, armature 191, contact 201, wire 21a, armature 19, contact 25, wire 23 through the magnets 26, armature 19, contact 20C, wire 2111, armature 19d, contact 29 and wire 2T through the magnets 28 and back to the battery 24.

Now suppose a train to be moving from west to east. s the train enters the block A the battery 1ln will be short circuited through the wheels and axle lV of such train. This will de-nergize the relay magnet 1811 and permit the opening of the circuit previously traced through the signal magnets 2G and 28 by permitting the armature 191 to move away irom the contact 25. Now as long as any part of the train stays in A the contact will be broken at this point so that the magnets 26 and 28 will be denergized and the signals to the north and south will move to danger.

As the train continues its motion toward the east the front end of the train will enter the block B and will thus short circuit the bat tery 111 as before. The result of this will be that the relay 181 will be denergized and the signal circuit will be broken by movement ot' the armature 191 away from the contact 201. Thus at this time the circuit will be broken at two points. As the train continues to move toward the east the same effects take place at each block in succession.

Then the train has entirely left block A then the circuit will be again closed through the magnet 18@L so that the armature 19a will engage the contact 25 and thus restore the break in the signal circuit at this point- Tn like manner, as each block is cleared by the east-bound train the broken signal circuit will be restored at the point of break for the respective block until all of the breaks have been closed whereupon the magnets 26 and 28 will again be energized with the result that the signals will be moved to clear position.

In addition to the relays just described there is provided for the west and east ends of the track batteries 301 and 30 from whence lead wires 311 and 31C to relay magnets 321 and 32C controlling armatures 331 and 33", wires 341 and 34 leading from said magnets 321 and 32C to connect- 351 and 35C in the path of armatures 361 and 36C controlled by the magnets 181 and 181". From the other poles of the batteries 301 and 30c lead Wires 371 and 37 to armatures 36a and 36d concuit will be closed from the battery 301 or 30C.

Upon denergizing the magnets 181 and 1811 the current extends through the wire 31C, magnet 32C, wire 34C, contact 35C, armature 30C, wire 39C, Contact 38d, armature 361, and wire 37C back to the battery 30C. This will energize the magnet 32C and cause it to draw the armature 33C into contact with a contact 40C connected by a wire 411 with the wire 2T. At the same time the energization ot the magnet 32C attracts an armature 42C and draws it againsta contact 43 connected by a wire 44 with the wire 39C. Furthermore, the armature 33C is connected by a. wire 45C with the wire 21d while the armature 42C is connected by a wire 46C with the wire 34C. Associated with the magnet 321 are similarly a contact 401, wire 411, armature 421, contact 431 and wires 441, 451 and 461.

Now when the east-bound train arrives in such position that its rear end is in block C and its front end is in block D the magnets 1Su and 181 will be deenergized and consequently the arniatures 36c and 3G11 will close on the contacts 35c and 38d respectively. Thus a circuit will be established from the battery 30c as previously described and it will be noted that the magnet 32 will remain energized even though the magnet 18c be energized to break the circuit between the armature 36C and the contact 35 because under these circumstances current will still continue to iiow from the battery 30c through the wire 31C, magnet32c, wire 34C, wire 40, armature 42C, contact 43", wire 44C, wire 39", contact 381, armature 36d, wire 3'?c back to the battery 301". This energization ot the magnet 18c takes place when the train has moved entirely into the block D. Under these circumstances involving energization of the magnet 32C or the magnet 321J the magnets 20 and 28 will again be energized as a circuit will be established in the instance of the magnet 32c from the battery 24 through the wire 27, wire 41C, contact 40, armature 33", wire 45, wire 211, contact 20C, armature 19C, wire 23, contact 25, armature 19, wire 21, Contact 201, armature 191, and wire 22, back to the battery 24. Thus a train moving from west to east will establish the signal circuit upon arriving wholly in the distant block D and in like manner a train moving in the opposite direction will establish the signal circuit upon arriving in the distant block A.

NOW, if the train arrives in block D and the operator backs up just as soon as the rear end of the trains arrives in block C the magnet 18c will be denergized and the signal circuit Will be broken, as before.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. The combination with a pair of intersecting tracks constituting a railroad crossing; one of said tracks being divided into a pair of blocks on each side of the crossing, a signal controlling circuit extending along the other track and arranged to normally hold a series of signals in clear position, means including a circuit in each block for opening the signal controlling circuit, each of said block circuits being arranged for short circuit upon entry of the train into block, and means for closing the signal circuit operable by simultaneous short circuits of the block circuits on one side of the track and subsequent energization of the block circuits adjacent the crossing.

2. The combination with a pair of intersecting tracks constituting a railroad crossing; one of said tracks being divided into a pair of blocks on each side of the crossing, a signal controlling circuit extending along the other track and arranged to normally hold a series of signals in clear position7 said circuit including a Contact and armature for each of said blocks, a normally energized magnet for each of said blocks, said magnets being arranged for deenergization upon entry of the train into the respective block and for energization upon passage of the train from that block; a normally open restoring circuit on each side of the crossing points, said restoring circuit constituting a local circuit and arranged to be closed upon denergization of both of the relay magnets on one side of the crossing points and subsequent energization of the inner relay magnet.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES W. ABNEY.

lVitnesses J. J. ANDRES, lV. I-I. VANDEYVER.

Oopiel of this patent muy be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of retenu,

Wallington, D. 0." 

